The commander at the helm of the USS Greeneville when it collided and sank a Japanese fishing vessel is seeking testimonial immunity during the U.S. Navy's Court of Inquiry into the collision, ABCNEWS has learned. Cmdr. Scott Waddle (pictured, right) is expected to testify that he was not told of sonar readings that indicated that the Ehime Maru was in the Greeneville's vicinity in the moments before the submarine shot to the surface Feb. 9. Waddle is also expected to testify that he saw nothing when he scanned the ocean surface through the sub's periscope.

USS GREENEVILLE

Commissioned: Feb. 16, 1996

Los Angeles-class attack nuclear submarine

Homeported in Pearl Harbor in March 1997

Max crew: 130

EHIME MARU

Specs:

499 tons

190.8 feet long

30.5 feet wide

Max crew: 76

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

Ehime Maru Families Thank Hawaii

CRASH RESOURCES:

Cmdr. Scott Waddle's Statement To Japanese People
Underwater Video Of Ehime Maru
Adm. Fargo Statement
First Radio Transmission Questions Of Ehime Maru Family Members
Fund Set Up For Ehime Maru Victims

WEB LINKS

How A Sub Works
Search Area U.S.S Greeneville
Pacific Cmdr. Submarine Hawaii Navy

The mishap occured while the Greeneville was conducting an emergency blow drill in waters about nine miles south of Diamond Head. Sources have said that a Navy investigation found that the drill was conducted for the benefit of 16 civilian guests on the sub and that the guests may have played a role by making it difficult for the sub's personnel to conduct their normal duties, which included tracking ships on the ocean surface. Waddle has declined to talk with National Transportation Safety Board investigators until the Navy probe is complete. Testimonial immunity would not protect Waddle from possible criminal prosecution, but would prevent his testimony at the Court of Inquiry from being used against him in later proceedings, such as a court martial. Waddle's executive officer, Lt. Cmdr. Gerald Pfeifer, and officer on deck, Lt. j.g. Michael Coen, are also part of the inquiry, as is Capt. Bob Brandhuber, host of the 16 civilian guests and senior officer aboard the Greeneville at the time of the collision. The Court of Inquiry is scheduled to begin Monday at Pearl Harbor. Chronology Of Collision: The National Transportation Safety Board Friday released data that it received from the Navy about the Greeneville's depth and heading in the moments before and after the collision. The data showed that the Greeneville passed to the west of the Ehime Maru on a southerly heading, but then reversed course to prepare for the emergency blow maneuver. When the sub closed to about two miles to the southwest of the ship, the Greeneville executed a series of zig-zag turns that brought the sub northeast before coming up to periscope depth about five minutes before the collision.
After the periscope check, the Greeneville submerged to a depth of 400 feet, starting in almost the same direction as the Ehime Maru. But the sub changed headings while on the way down, this time to a north-northeast heading, directly towards the ship. According to the NTSB, the collision occurred with the Greeneville on an almost northerly heading of 18 degrees and the Ehime Maru on an almost southerly heading of 166 degrees.

• Click here to look at the complete NTSB report

Previous Stories:

• March 2, 2001: Ehime Maru Families Thank Hawaii
• March 1, 2001: Ehime Maru School Students Graduate
• February 28, 2001: Waddle: 'Part Of Me Died' In Collision
• February 27, 2001: Ehime Maru Survey Nearly Complete
• February 27, 2001: Japan: Bush Considering Salvage Of Sunken Ship
• February 26, 2001: Waddle Has 'Sincere Regret' About Collision
• February 25, 2001: Sub Investigation Could Widen
• February 22, 2001: Navy Court Of Inquiry Could Be Delayed
• February 20, 2001: Navy Likely To Raise Ehime Maru
• February 20, 2001: Sub Mishap Survivors Still Haunted
• February 19, 2001: Sucess Of Raising Ehime Maru 'Questionable'
• February 19, 2001: Robot Sub Hauled Out For Repairs
• February 19, 2001: Tennessee Town Supports Sub Crew
• February 16, 2001: Search Continues While NTSB Interviews Sub Crew
• February 15, 2001: Police Warn Of Sub Victim Fund Scam
• February 15, 2001: Japanese Outraged Over Sub Revelation
• February 15, 2001: Two Island Residents On Greeneville
• February 15, 2001: Help Identify The Civilians On The Sub
• February 14, 2001: Sub Captain Could Face Criminal Inquiry
• February 13, 2001: Ehime Maru Crew Describes Disaster
• February 12, 2001: Bush Offers Prayer For Sub Victims
• February 12, 2001: NTSB Begins Sub Collision Probe
• February 11, 2001: Ehime Maru Captain Speaks
• February 11, 2001: Sub Commander Reassigned As Search Continues
• February 11, 2001: Sub Collided During Emergency Maneuver